Merry Christmas 2014 from The Shoops

Christmas 2014
Dear Family and Friends,

This has been a crazy year with lots of ups and downs. I think the word that comes to mind is bittersweet. I was trying to look up the meaning of the word and the closest definition I got was “both pleasurable and painful”. That definitely describes our year. This year was full of lots of changes. I don’t always like change..

Melissa graduated from high school this year. She took a while to decide what she was going to do after she graduated. She worked for the state and Grandpa’s Ice Cream shop in the summer and the month of September. She planned on going to UVU in Provo in January. (She still is planning on this). We already had plans to go to Utah for General Conference in October and we all decided it would be a good time for her to go, too. Even though I know it was the right choice for her that was one of the hardest things we’ve ever done. I can’t even complain! With modern technology I get to talk to her often and see pictures of her and skype! I just miss her cute face! It has been quite an adjustment in our house! It’s so much quieter without her home. She has such a lively fun personality that it took me probably a month to not be sad every day.

This year has also been the year of the missionary. Melissa has lots of friends on missions for our church. She has been blessed with so many close good friends and they have been gone serving the Lord. It has been fun writing them and hearing from them and watching them learn and grow! I love getting missionary letters! We also have had the missionaries over a lot the past couple of years. A lot of them have gone home now. It has been so fun to maintain friendships with them. We have become close to several of them and consider them forever friends.

One of the best days I have had was with our missionaries. When we went to Utah we got to see 7 of our returned missionaries. There was a point in time where I was sitting in the visitor’s center at the Salt Lake Temple square and my family, Aurora (my niece), and several of our missionaries were there.  I couldn’t quit smiling! It was a slice of Heaven! We didn’t know what else to do around Salt Lake so we just “hung” out and visited and laughed at the visitor’s center. It is one of my favorite memories! That was the perfect day that we needed before we left Melissa. In our Christmas picture, I had to include one of my favorite pictures from that day because it was pretty close to perfect. We also got spend the day with one of our favorite missionaries- JC Price- He’s the one in the picture with us in front of the Salt Lake City Temple. I didn’t have enough room for pictures of all my missionaries and our cute family pictures. (Also in our family pictures is our niece, Aurora. She is at our home a lot so we included her in our pictures.)

Another one of my missionaries made me a poster for Mother’s Day with lots of pictures of missionaries on it. It is probably one of my favorite gifts. We have a missionary wall of pictures!

Can you believe Keagan started High School this year? We can’t! My baby! I don’t even want to say how old that makes me feel. He is getting used to it now and liking it more and more. He especially likes church dances! He has this quiet sweet humor that we love! He also loves going to seminary. Seminary is an early morning church class. It starts at 6:00 a.m.! This year they are studying church history and the Doctrine and Covenants. He has gotten into sports this year and wants to play soccer again next year. Last year in middle school he played basketball and soccer. He is also hoping to take driver’s Ed soon.. Yikes!

Ray is still working at L&I. He loves working there. The people there are nice and the agency is very supportive. He is hoping to stay there for a while, but move up to better positions. Ray had the challenge this year of having shingles! From what I hear, it is one of the most painful things to have. He was out of it for almost a month. Thank goodness for sick leave and understanding employers! I’m glad he is better!

I am still teaching preschool. But this year has been a lot different. I am teaching at my house, which I love. I love not having to drag all my stuff to Marie’s house. But I miss my friend Marie that I worked with for so long!  I have to keep my house clean.. That is a blessing and a pain! I’m also teaching with a new person, my friend Pam. It was a little bit of an adjustment just by being so different, but going well.

We had such a great trip to Utah! It was fun seeing good friends and our missionaries. We got to go to General Conference and see lots of temples! I don’t have space to write all about it. If you want to read about it, I put it on the blog. http://rdmkshoop.blogspot.com/

I am so thankful for family. I’m grateful for this time of the year when we get to see them more. I’m grateful for our Savior that makes it all possible. I can’t wait to hear from so many of our friends at this time of the year! I look forward to it! We are so blessed! Keep in touch!  rdmkshoop@comcast.net

Love always, Ray, Donna, Melissa, and Keagan